Session Of The Legislative Election Dispute, MK Orders KPU To Do PSU At Pols 004 Sungai Lala Riau

Constitutional Justice Guntur Hamzah (left) read out the legal considerations for the 2024 Legislative Election PHPU decision at Building I MK, Jakarta, Thursday (6/6/2024). BETWEEN/Screenshot)

JAKARTA - The Constitutional Court (MK) ordered the General Election Commission (KPU) to re-vote (PSU) at TPS 004 Sungai Lala Plantation Village, Sungai Lala District, Indragiri Hulu Regency, Riau.

The PSU was carried out because the number of ballots received at the TPS did not match the number of permanent voters (DPT).

"Declaring the results of the votes acquired by candidates for members of the Indragiri Hulu Regency DPRD along the Indragiri Hulu 5 electoral district must be re-voted," said Chief Justice of the Constitutional Court Suhartoyo reading the verdict on the 2024 Pilleg dispute case requested by PPP for the election of members of the Indragiri Hulu Regency DPRD for the 5th Electoral District at Building I MK, Jakarta, Thursday 6 June, confiscated by Antara.

In the case number 251-01-17-04/PHPU.DPR-DPRD-XXII/2024, the Constitutional Court stated that the argument for the PPP application there was a shortage of ballots at TPS 004, Sungai Lala Plantation Village, which was not denied by the KPU as the respondent or Bawaslu.

The number of DPT at TPS 004, Sungai Lala Plantation Village is 295, the ballot received should be 295 plus two percent of ballots, so the total is 301 ballots. However, only 218 ballots were received.

"So there is a shortage of 83 ballots," said Constitutional Justice Guntur Hamzah reading out the court's legal considerations.

The shortage of ballots at the polling station caused several incidents, namely the temporary suspension of voters at TPS 004 Sungai Lala Plantation Village; coordination of the transfer of voters to Polling Station 005 Sungai Lala Plantation Village due to a shortage of ballots; and the preparation of voter transfer letters, all of which were carried out less than an hour before the closing of the election.

Regarding the transfer of voters from Polling Station 004 to Polling Station 005 at Sungai Lala Plantation Village, the Constitutional Court stated that it did not find a clear basis for regulation. However, in fact, there were 13 voters who were transferred from Polling Station 004 to Polling Station 005 due to lack of ballots.

The Constitutional Court argues that the shortage of ballots has hampered some voters at Polling Station 004 who want to exercise their voting rights. The Constitutional Court emphasized that the right to vote should not be hampered or hindered in any way.

"That even though 13 voters had been transferred from Polling Station 004 to Polling Station 005 due to lack of ballots, the Court found in the facts of the trial that some voters who came to Polling Station 004 were 'blocked' by officers because the ballot had run out and did not use their voting rights," said Guntur.

The Constitutional Court ordered the PSU to be carried out within 30 days of the time the decision was read. The PSU was carried out by including voters registered in the DPT and the List of Additional Voters (DPTb) of Polling Station 004 Sungai Lala Plantation Village, without including 13 people who had exercised their voting rights at Polling Station 005.

As for the petition, PPP stated that their votes should be more than the votes obtained. According to the Petitioner, many PPP sympathizers could not voting because of the lack of ballots at Pols 004, Sungai Lala Plantation Village.